Eye-popping abstracts of ‘Seeking Joy’ depart interpretation up to creativity

Yoshiko Yap
"Cluster," from the “Seeking Joy: Karen Snouffer” exhibit currently at the Ohio State University Faculty Club.

Karen Snouffer’s paintings and wall sculptures in “Seeking Joy” are energetic, vibrantly vibrant and devoid of exception, summary.

The title of her show at the Ohio State College School Club refers to her procedure and its outcome — and the reaction, she hopes, of viewers.

“Because of what we have all been going through these previous couple of many years — socially, politically, medically — I believe in search of pleasure is what I’ve been undertaking in working with so a lot coloration and movement,” Snouffer claimed. “Am I making joyful objects or is the pleasure in the approach? The joy is also up to the viewer.”

"Scaffold," a painting in “Seeking Joy: Karen Snouffer," which runs through Feb. 18 at the Ohio State University Faculty Club.

Ross Art Museum: Visible arts: Ross Artwork Museum presents contrasting exhibits exploring oppression and joy

The prevalent denominators of the 30-some operates in the show are the use of architectural photographs and an abundance of contrasting and complementary shades. Snouffer, a Gambier resident and professor emeritus at Kenyon Faculty, stated she is commonly encouraged by buildings and sights from spots she has been to at home and abroad.

She designed “Scaffold,” for occasion, immediately after a excursion to Rome wherever creating tasks involving scaffolding appeared to be in all places. The acrylic portray, also built with stickers, glue and ink, provides clusters of exuberant prospers in orange, black and yellow — as perfectly as a scaffold-like image.

The massive “Apostrophe,” (72 by 42 inches) offers an animated apostrophe form against an orange industry in the major left part of the canvas.

A smaller portray, “Red Boat,” shows what may perhaps or may well not be the pink vessel as the central figure surrounded by block-like shapes in a wide variety of shades.

"Red Boat," from “Seeking Joy: Karen Snouffer," the current exhibit at the Ohio State University Faculty Club.

Snouffer, 75, who taught painting and drawing and has labored in figurative art, stated she is fully commited now to abstraction, a genre she finds extra creatively complicated and free.

She cites neuroscientist Eric R. Kandel’s theories involving the viewing of summary artwork versus figurative performs. With figurative artwork, images draw the viewer’s memory to persons, spots or matters he or she can remember. With abstract art, the viewer is compelled to draw upon their imagination to determine what the artwork indicates.

“I adore that different individuals see distinct issues in my do the job, and I really like that sometimes they shell out time with a painting,” Snouffer reported.

Wintertime displays: 3 major artwork reveals taking place at Columbus museums this winter season

Snouffer also plainly enjoys the supplies of her operate. In “Totter” and “Duck Less than,” she employs wisps of cut paper in black, yellow and grey — and occasionally even black glitter — to vogue movement-crammed wall hangings. Yellow, she said, “can be a joyful shade or it can suggest caution and fear — and it functions artistically with black and grey.”

Quite a few additional supplies are uncovered in the wall sculpture “Push Out,” a black-and-white relief filled with lacy paper, black fuzz, a black-and-white checkerboard and even replicas of cicada wings.

"Push Out," a piece in “Seeking Joy: Karen Snouffer," which runs through Feb. 18 at the Ohio State University Faculty Club.

As constantly, Snouffer invitations her viewers to discern that means in her functions. She has studied and explored the chaos idea and enjoys the notion of and introducing contradictory themes in her get the job done. She is relentlessly curious and experimental with products and themes, all of which add to the delight she finds in generating artwork.

As a septuagenarian, she says, “I program to be performing this for another 20 decades.”

“Trying to get Joy” is a worthwhile aim for the artist and those who examine her get the job done.

[email protected]

At a glance

“Seeking Joy: Karen Snouffer” carries on as a result of Feb. 18 at the Ohio State College School Club, 181 S. Oval Travel. Hrs: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Masks are required. For facts, connect with Lisa Craig Morton at 614-309-0191 or take a look at www.ohio-statefacultyclub.com.

This report initially appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Karen Snouffer exhibiting abstract artwork at Ohio State Faculty Club

Next Post

Joni Mitchell needs Spotify eliminate her music above deadly ‘lies’

Singer Joni Mitchell attends a reception for Kennedy Center honorees hosted by President Biden and his spouse, Jill Biden, in the East Place at the White House on Dec. 5. Photograph: Tasos Katopodis / TNS Joni Mitchell is requesting that Spotify take out her songs, in solidarity with fellow Canadian […]
Joni Mitchell needs Spotify eliminate her music above deadly ‘lies’

You May Like